With Monsoon, Ashobaa Cyclone also reach India

Three days after onset, the monsoon has moved from its start-up alignment and pushed north along the west coast reaching south Konkan on Monday.

Ashobba arrives in India

This happened in tandem with the intensification of Sunday’s depression into tropical cyclone ‘Ashobaa’ in the afternoon. Enhanced flows helped extend the monsoon to parts of south Konkan.

Entire Goa, coastal Karnataka and more parts of south interior Karnataka are now under its footprint.

The northern limit passes through Ratnagiri, Shivamogga, Mysuru, Salem and Cuddalore in the peninsula and then across the Bay of Bengal into north-east India at Dhubri and Gangtok.

The monsoon is running behind schedule now; in normal times, it should have covered entire Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and a better part of Maharashtra.

India Met Department has issued a high wind warning along the coasts of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra on Tuesday due to Ashobaa Cyclone.

Ashobba Cyclone impacted area on Map

A depression forming in the Arabian Sea about 590 kilometres west-southwest of Mumbai is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm, the Indian Meteorological Department said.

Tropical cyclone Ashobaa is expected to bring moderate to heavy rains around the coastlines of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, along with the southern parts of Pakistan.

“It would move initially north-northwestwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during next 36 hours,” the India Meteorological Department said. However, the landfall may not take place in India, said a senior IMD official. The storm is currently shaping for a landfall in Oman.

“We are monitoring the cyclonic storm. We will be able to predict the landfall as it intensifies further,” the official added.

The rains would accompany strong winds with speeds around 70-80 KMPH, increasing to 90-100 KMPH over the next 24 hours.